Margot de Taxco Jewelry, ca. 1955

Appraised on: June 26, 2004

Appraised in: St. Paul, Minnesota

Appraised by: Susan Florence

Category: Jewelry

Episode Info: St. Paul, Hour 3 (#903)

Originally Aired: January 17, 2005

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (2:25)

GUEST: This came down through my family. It started with my grandmother, as far as I know, and then it came to my mother. Um, I think it just sat in her drawer for years. I'm not sure she ever used it, and then it was passed down to my wife in a box of costume jewelry, so she wore a piece now and then, but eventually it ended up with my two daughters. And they used it for dress-up, along with the rest of the costume jewelry. So that's about all I know about it.

APPRAISER: Okay-- well, it's very pretty. Um, unfortunately it is not sapphire. It is glass, uh, but it's sterling silver, and it's made by a woman whose name was Margot van Voorhies Carr Castillo, who went by "Margot de Taxco." And on the back here you can see a lovely maker's mark, Mexican maker's mark. She was a fascinating woman. She worked in her husband's shop, Mr. Castillo, and then was one of the few women to open her own shop in Mexico in 1948. Um, she's very collectible, and her wonderful jewels were inspired by Egyptian motifs, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Mexican influences, and you can feel a little bit of that in all of these beautiful pieces. What's fantastic here is that you have a suite of jewels and that you have a collection. You have the bracelet, the pin, the pendant, the necklace. Unfortunately, we have a little bit of damage to the back of the earrings. The earring has been altered, but even with the alteration, because you have a collection, even though it's glass and sterling, it would retail currently-- and she died in 1985-- for $3,000.

GUEST: Oh, wow, no kidding? Oh, that's great.

APPRAISER: So I hope that makes you happy.

GUEST: Oh, terrific. That's wonderful.

APPRAISER: Now, if the back of the earring hadn't been changed and glued on and the pieces hadn't been altered, it would retail for over $4,000. But I think it's quite a beautiful piece-- a great example of terrific Mexican craftsmanship by a real, true artisan.

GUEST: That's terrific.